Workshop: Systems and Synthetic Biology for Designing Rational Cancer Immunotherapies; October 6-8, 2016, Tysons Corner, Virginia

William Marsh Rice University, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

Title: Workshop: Systems and Synthetic Biology for Designing Rational Cancer Immunotherapies Advancing fundamental understanding of cancer biology necessary to formulate a comprehensive strategy for break-through cancer treatments requires that the field embrace an interdisciplinary course of action. This workshop will provide a platform that would allow participants from various scientific, engineering, and medical fields to discuss the most pressing needs and potential solutions for the rational design of personalized cancer therapies using recently developed tools from the field of synthetic biology. By bringing together basic researchers in physics, synthetic biology, and systems biology and oncologists at the forefront of their respective fields, this workshop will catalyze new collaborations that will speed the pace of discovery and translation in cancer treatment. The workshop organizers have made a particular effort in including younger scientist known for their creative and unbiased perspective. Balance in demographics and gender are addressed as well. This is a laudable effort to bring new insights and perspectives to cancer biology and treatment This award will fund a two-day workshop to discuss the use of synthetic biology to cancer immunotherapy. Leading systems and synthetic biologists, physicists, mathematicians and cancer immunologists will come together to brainstorm on how to develop novel approaches to reprogramming the immune system to fight cancer. The workshop will be held at the Hyatt Hotel at Tysons Corner in Virginia where 25-30 participants will meet on October 6-8, 2016. The attendees include a diverse group of scientists, engineers and physicians from the US and international institutions. This award is supported by the Physics of Living Systems Program in the Division of Physics, and the Systems and Synthetic Biology Program and Molecular Biophysics Program in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences.